Philips ColorReach Powercore LED architectural floodlighting

May 28, 2009 Billed as the first LED fixture powerful enough to illuminate large-scale facades and structures, Philips' ColorReach Powercor high-performance architectural floodlight can project light over 500 feet while using 70% less power than the metal halide fixtures... and producing more light.

The technology made a very high-profile appearance at Super Bowl XLIII where multiple ColorReach Powercore fixtures were used to dramatically illuminate the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. This saved an estimated 48,000 watts in comparison to if metal halide fixtures were used.

Versatile color

ColorReach Powercore offers the benefits of LED-based lighting and control in a fixture specifically designed for large-scale installations, such as commercial skyscrapers, casinos, large retail exteriors, bridges, piers, public monuments, and themed attractions. Each half of the ColorReach Powercore fixture is individually addressable and controllable. This provides for options such as using one spread lens on the fixture’s lower half to bathe a large facade with color at street level, and a different spread lens to project a contrasting or complementary color hundreds of feet up the building’s walls.

Ease of installation

For ease of installation, ColorReach Powercore integrates Powercore® technology to control power output to the fixtures directly from line voltage. The Philips Data Enabler merges line voltage and control data and delivers them to the fixture over a single standard cable, keeping costs down as well as simplifying installation. The fixture accepts a universal power input range of 100 to 240 VAC, allowing the installation of multiple units in a continuous run. Each Data Enabler can support multiple ColorReach Powercore fixtures for illuminating large exterior facades and structures.

The fixture works with the complete line of Philips controllers, including iPlayer® 3 and Light System Manager™, as well as third-party DMX controllers. Rugged, slim-profile mounting bracket allows for simple positioning and fixture rotation through a full 360°. Side locking bolts reliably secure fixture with standard wrench.

A brilliant Look for Super Bowl XLIII

Back in February ColorReach Powercore enabled the Raymond James Stadium to be visible from the air and from multiple viewpoints across the city, helping to create a visually striking look for the city of Tampa.

Controlled by the iPlayer 3 digital playback controller from Philips Color Kinetics, the fixtures displayed the colors of the opposing teams and other color-changing lighting effects. Seventy ColorReach Powercore fixtures in total, lit up the stadium from dusk until dawn. Mounted on a concrete crossbeam from within the stadium, the fixtures illuminated the underside of the stadium’s upper 30 rows. Using 40° spread lenses, only two fixtures were required to evenly wash each 40 ft (12.2 m) by 80 ft (24.4 m) bay with color.

Green Credentials

In line with the green credentials of LED lighting, each fixture consumes just 290 watts and is capable of projecting intense color over 500 ft (152 m) with an output of 5,000+ lumen. Even when operating at full intensity, each fixture consumes less than half the energy of a typical coffee maker, says Philips.

The consumption from the Super Bowl installation totaled under 22,000 watts. Phillips says that by comparison, traditional metal halide fixtures typically used in such exterior projects consume 1,000 watts each, for a total of well over 70,000 watts.